Afton anti-fracking activist arrested in Albany

AFTON – Anti-fracking activist Abram Loeb was arraigned Monday in Albany Criminal Court on disorderly conduct charges stemming from a May 15 arrest during a civil disobedience action in the governor’s office in the Capitol building.

The Afton native, who represented himself, said the charges were not dismissed, but could be later.

“It’s not an issue for me,” he said on Wednesday, describing his action as “peaceful.” Loeb was similary arrested 22 years ago for blocking a New York State commission of delegates from walking onto land in nearby Taylor in Cortland County to inspect it for the possible siting of a low level radioactive waste dump. A photo of him during that incident appeared in the New York Times in 1989.